The Important Role of Parent Support Groups

Jo Freitag2010 Rev 2015

A presentation and discussion on the social and emotional support needs of academically gifted children. Emphasis will be placed on the experiences and challenges of parenting gifted and the role of social support groups

NEEDS

Gagne’s DMGT ModelDevelopment of natural abilities into fully

developed competencies

NEEDSNORMALCYSome things which are the exception in the general population are par for the course for the gifted : what Lesley Sword calls “Normal for gifted”

IQ Bell Curve

Columbus Group Definition

Dabrowski Overexcitabilities

Introversion

Visual Spatial Learners

Perfectionism

Creativity and ‘different thinking’

NEEDS

EXAMPLES

EXCELLENCE

EXTENSION

NEEDS

EXTRA INFORMATION AND MYTH BUSTING

This is where Gifted Resources can be useful

NEEDS

DIALOGUE AND TEAMWORK

CHILD

Psychologist Parent Teacher

NEEDS

SOCIAL OPPORTUNITIES

SUPPORT

This is where a Support Group can be useful

Parent Support Groups are needed...

• For social contact for parents

• for mutual encouragement and ‘been there-done that!’

• for opportunity for parents to learn about how they can support their children

• for an opportunity for children to spend time with like-minded peers

Learning about giftedness from guest speakers

Spending time together...

Star-B-Ques

Going on excursions

Craft days

Games days - chess, strategy games etc

Community education about giftedness with display in the library

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Asynchronous Development• Giftedness is asynchronous development in

which advanced cognitive abilities and heightened intensity combine to create inner experiences and awareness that are qualitatively different from the norm. This asynchrony increases with higher intellectual capacity. The uniqueness of the gifted renders them particularly vulnerable and requires modifications in parenting, teaching and counselling in order for them to develop optimally.

• (The Columbus Group, 1991).

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Dabrowski’sOverexcitabilities

• The five areas are:

• Psychomotor

• Sensual

• Imaginational

• Intellectual

• Emotional

• (From Dabrowski's Over-excitabilitiesA Layman's Explanation

• by Stephanie Tolan http://www.hoagiesgifted.org/dabrowskis.htm )

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Perfectionism

Many gifted people are perfectionists.Sometimes gifted children will refuse to do something unless they are sure the result will be perfect. The result they are aiming for is adult excellence and they put a great deal of stress on themselves by trying to produce it. Often the stress comes also from competition with others and from expectations (real or perceived) which are put on them

It is good to encourage to aim for excellence but not be paralysed by perfectionism.

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